Method and system to incentivize a seller to perform an activity relating to a network-based marketplace

• US 20040204991A1
• Filed: 04/11/2003
• Published: 10/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Original Assignee: eBay Inc.
• Inventors: Monahan, Jay, Lee, Stacy A.
• Application Number:
  US10/412,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20040204991A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0212 Chance discounts or incentives
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0275 Auctions

Abstract

A method and system to incentivize a seller to perform an activity relating to a network based marketplace. Inform a seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to the seller performing a first activity that is associated with a listing and a buyer performing a second activity that is associated with the listing. The performance of the first activity and the second activity are detected. The seller is awarded responsive to the seller performing the first activity that is associated with the listing and the buyer performing the second activity that is associated with the listing.

Claims

1. A method to incentivize a seller to perform an activity relating to a network based marketplace, the method including:

informing the seller that a first activity award is obtainable responsive to the seller performing a first activity that is associated with a listing and a buyer performing a second activity that is associated with the listing;

detecting the performance of the first activity;

detecting the performance of the second activity; and

awarding the seller the first activity award responsive to the seller performing the first activity that is associated with the listing and the buyer performing the second activity that is associated with the listing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the performance of the first activity includes detecting at least one of the seller entering the listing for the purpose of offering an item for sale and the seller entering the listing for the purpose of offering an item for auction.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the performance of the second activity includes detecting an activity that qualifies the buyer to receive a second activity award.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the performance of the second activity includes detecting that the buyer wins proceeds from an online promotion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first activity award includes at least one of a promotion game card and sharing proceeds received by a buyer from an online promotion.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the performance of the first activity includes receiving an election from the seller, the seller electing to communicate an encouragement to the buyer to perform the second activity.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the communicating the encouragement to the buyer includes presenting a visual message to the buyer.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the visual message displays at least one of a text, graphic, and photograph that encourages the buyer to perform the second activity.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting of the performance of the second activity includes detecting a progression of an online transaction to a predetermined activity.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined activity includes receiving a winning bid from the buyer for the at least one of an item and a service described by the listing.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined activity includes receiving payment from the buyer for the at least one of an item and a service described by the listing.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the predetermined activity includes receiving notification that the buyer utilized a service to pay the seller.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the service includes one of a payment service, credit service, and promotional marketing service.

14. The method of claim 12, including the buyer selecting a bank account as a source of payment.

15. The method of claim 13, including determining a value of the first activity award based on a number of buyers that have been encouraged to use the payment service by the seller and have used the payment service.

16. A system to incentivize a seller to perform an activity relating to a network-based marketplace, the system including:

a listing module to inform the seller that a first activity award is obtainable responsive to a performance by the seller of a first activity that is associated with a listing and a performance by a buyer of a second activity that is associated with the listing;

a detection module to detect the performance of the first activity and to detect the performance of the second activity; and

an award module to award the seller the first activity award responsive to the performance by the seller of the first activity that is associated with the listing and the performance by the buyer of the second activity that is associated with the listing.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the first activity includes at least one of entry of the listing to offer the item for sale and entry of the listing to offer the item for auction.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second activity includes an activity that qualifies the buyer to receive a second activity award.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the second activity includes the buyer winning proceeds from an online promotion.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the first activity award includes at least one of a promotion game card and a share of proceeds received by a buyer from an online promotion.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the first activity includes receipt of an election from the seller to communicate an encouragement to the buyer to perform the second activity.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein to communicate the encouragement to the buyer is to present a visual communication to the buyer.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the visual communication displays at least one of a text, a graphic, and a photograph that encourages the buyer to perform the second activity.

24. The system of claim 16, wherein the performance of the second activity includes causing progression of an online transaction to a predetermined activity.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the predetermined activity includes a bid from the buyer that wins the at least one of an item and a service described by the listing.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the predetermined activity includes payment from the buyer for the at least one of an item and a service described by the listing.

27. The system of claim 24, wherein the predetermined activity includes notification that the buyer utilized a third party service to pay the seller.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the third party service includes one of a payment service, credit service, and promotional marketing service.

29. The system of claim 27, including the buyer to select a bank account as a source of payment.

30. The system of claim 28, including the award module to determine a value of the first activity award based on a number of buyers that have been encouraged to use the payment service by the seller and have used the payment service.

31. A method to facilitate the collection of seller configured incentives for at least one buyer in a network-based marketplace, the method including:

at a seller computer, informing the seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to the seller performing a first activity that is associated with a listing and a buyer performing a second activity that is associated with the listing;

at a seller computer, detecting the performance of the first activity;

at a seller computer, storing the first activity in a batch file; and

at a seller computer, transmitting the batch file to an application program interface at the network-based marketplace.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the detecting of the first activity includes detecting at least one of the seller entering the listing for the purpose of offering an item for sale and the seller entering the listing for the purpose of offering an item for auction.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the detecting of the performance of the first activity includes receiving an election from the seller, the seller electing to communicate an encouragement to the buyer to perform the second activity.

34. A client application program to facilitate the collection of seller configured incentives for at least one buyer in a network-based marketplace, the method including:

a communication component to inform the seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to performance of a first activity by the seller that is associated with a listing and performance of a second activity by the seller that is associated with the listing, the communication component to detect the performance of the first activity;

a logic component to store the first activity in a batch file in a storage component on the seller machine; and

a communication component to transmit the batch file to an application program interface at the network-based market place.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the first activity includes at least one of entry of the listing by the seller to offer an item for sale and entry of the listing by the seller to offer an item for auction.

36. The method of claim 34, wherein the first activity includes receipt of an election from the seller to communicate an encouragement to the buyer to perform the second activity.

37. A machine readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to:

inform the seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to the seller performing a first activity that is associated with a listing and a buyer performing a second activity that is associated with the listing;

detect the performance of the first activity;

detect the performance of the second activity; and

award the seller the first activity award responsive to the seller performing the first activity that is associated with the listing and the buyer performing the second activity that is associated with the listing.

38. A machine readable medium storing a set of instructions that, when executed by the machine, cause the machine to:

at a seller computer, inform the seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to the seller performing a first activity that is associated with a listing and a buyer performing a second activity that is associated with the listing;

at a seller computer, detect the performance of the first activity;

at a seller computer, store the first activity in a batch file; and

at a seller computer, transmit the batch file to an application program interface at the network-based marketplace.

39. A system to incentivize a seller to perform an activity relating to a network based marketplace, the system including:

a first means to inform the seller that a first activity award may be obtained responsive to a performance by the seller of a first activity that is associated with a listing and a performance of a buyer of a second activity that is associated with the listing;

a second means to detect the performance of the first activity and to detect the performance of the second activity; and

a third means to award the seller the first activity award.